


Harbor

by anthologia



Category: Batman (Comics), DCU (Comics), Robin (Comics), Superboy (Comics), Young Justice (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Always a Different Sex, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, F/M, Flirting, Implied/Referenced Child Neglect, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Injury, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Past Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-28
Updated: 2015-12-28
Packaged: 2018-05-09 22:19:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5557652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anthologia/pseuds/anthologia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tim has done a lot of things that could be considered reckless and/or crazy, primarily centering around her Batman and Robin-spotting hobby. In comparison, she’s not sure if finding Doomsboy’s brother in Gotham public transportation and dragging him home with her is more or less stupid than her usual fare. </p>
<p>AU based heavily on the "World Without Young Justice" universe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Harbor

**Author's Note:**

> Fic written for my h/c bingo card. Heavily based on the universe from the "World Without Young Justice" arc, in which Tim never became Robin and Cadmus never totally figured out Kryptonian DNA, and the scientists wound up creating a Doomsday clone instead called Doomsboy. Kon was born mostly human and without powers and was grudgingly kept around as Doomsboy's younger brother.
> 
> References some events similar to their stories in Superboy #99 and Robin #101.

Tim has done a lot of things that could be considered reckless and/or crazy, primarily centering around her Batman and Robin-spotting hobby. In comparison, she’s not sure if finding Doomsboy’s brother in Gotham public transportation and dragging him home with her is more or less stupid than her usual fare.

(Photographs, apparently, do not do him justice – not that there are that many, but Tim has developed a very particular set of skills over the years, which absolutely includes coming into possession of superhero or superhero-adjacent photographs. It turns out that he’s actually pretty tall when he’s not standing next to Doomsboy, and there’s more muscle than you’d think hiding in that gangly, slightly awkward body.

Not that she was _looking_.)

“You’re sure this is okay?” Conal asks for about the fourteenth time. “Your parents won’t mind that you’re pretty much sneaking a boy into your house?” As much as he’s been clearly grateful for her help, he’s also been really nervous about any possible consequences she might incur. It’s sweet.

“Not from _Australia_ they won’t.” Jack and Janet Drake had offered to fly in and spend some time with her after they heard about her latest little encounter with mind-controlled cultists, but she’d downplayed the hell out of it, insisting that she was _fine_ and never in any _real_ danger, anyway. To assuage their guilt about not showing up anyway, they slipped some extra money into her accounts (which is going to be especially useful now that she’s acquired a runaway) and promised her they’d take her to her favorite restaurants when they got back.

He’s still stuck in place, not quite willing to move past the front hall of the Drake house. “If my brother finds me here, he’ll probably come after you, too – “

“Conal. It’s _fine_. We’ve never even met before today, and he has no reason to think you’d even be in Gotham. The likelihood of him tracking you here is pretty low.” Not to mention Batman lives next door, but that’s not something she can just _say_. Tim takes hold of Conal’s shoulders and looks him directly in the eye. “You’re safe for now. Relax. Let me find you some ice for your throat.”

She has several ice packs all ready to go, not to mention a _very_ thorough first aid kit, which she grabs just in case. The only really obvious injury he has is the bruising on his throat, but news reports about the US government’s attempt to arrest Doomsboy showed a pretty nasty fight that Conal would have been in the middle of. She has suspicions.

When she gets back to him, he’s sitting down on one of the couches, but he’s staring around with that _holy shit, how does anyone afford to live here?_ look on his face. “So, uh – what do your parents do?”

“Dad’s an archeologist. He and my mother both run a company.” She wraps one of the ice packs in a towel and presses it gently to his neck. “Hold that there. Are you hurt anywhere else?”

“No.” Conal groans and leans his head back against the couch. “God. That was my only plan to deal with him. Now what am I going to do?”

“I think that’s up to the US government.” Tim narrows her eyes at him for a moment before grabbing his arm and pulling the sleeve up. There’s a gash on his forearm. She unpacks the antiseptic, bandages, and antibacterial cream.

“He’s my _brother_.” Conal hisses a little as she disinfects the wound. “How did you even know that was there?”

“Little bit of blood on your sleeve. I’m observant,” she says blandly. “Lucky for you, or I probably wouldn’t have recognized you. Also, just a thought, but you might want to kick him out of the family. I don’t have siblings, but I’m pretty sure murder attempts disqualify people for the position.”

He doesn’t say anything, so she shrugs. “Suit yourself.”

“What am I going to do?” he asks again, quieter.

Tim’s not super-great at comfort – or, at least, she hasn’t had a lot of opportunity to practice – but she's pretty sure taking his hand and just holding onto it for a moment is a good start. “You’ll stay here. I’ll probably order takeout. We can both keep an eye out for any news about Doomsboy. And at some point, a government representative will probably approach you for your cooperation in whatever new plan they’ve cooked up, and you’ll decide if you want to help or not.” Once she’s finished bandaging, she starts packing up the kit again, neatly.

Conal tilts his head to look at her. “Why are you helping me?”

Tim shrugs up a shoulder. “I’m idle rich. I have a giant house that’s 99% empty 99% of the time. I’m in a rebellious phase and engaging in increasingly ridiculous activities to see if my parents ever notice. I’m secretly boy-crazy and intend to seduce you later. Take your pick.”

He cracks a grin. “I’m _really_ seducible, if that’s your plan.”

As much as she’d like to maintain her poker face, Tim can feel the corners of her mouth twitching upwards. “You should probably rest up first, then. There’s a bunch of unused bedrooms upstairs – take whichever.”

“Thanks. I – “ Conal starts to his feet and pauses, awkward and unsure. “Just… thanks.”

Impulsively, she kisses his cheek. “You’re welcome.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you are interested in my fics and want more, I have an account at syntactition.tumblr.com where I have bits of stories that are currently in the works and other ficlets and stories that haven't made their way to AO3.


End file.
